The dramatic changes that From Software has made in transition from Bloodborneare both apparent and subtle. Obviously the largest shift is in setting, from a low fantasy world of knights and dragons to a Victorian society of werewolves and witch hunters. Less obvious are feature additions, including transforming weapons and -gasp- guns! More subtle alterations to the Souls formula are likely plentiful as well, but require a better eye for those such things than mine.

What I can recognize and point out, however, is the striking way in which Bloodborneis being marketed. Dark Souls had one rallying cry throughout its development: "Prepare to die!" Death was the focus of all marketing -- that death was okay in Dark Souls, that people should not be afraid of it, but embrace the mechanic. Bloodborne, as far as I can tell, has avoided any mention of death. The player doesn't die once in the trailer, so far as I can tell. I still expect death, lots of death, will be a core mechanic of Bloodborne, but it's nevertheless very interesting to see Sony's obvious shift in marketing away from that feature.

Bloodborne is an action RPG from the creators of the Dark Souls series and Demon's Souls as well. It will be released exclusively on the PlayStation 4 in 2015.